Tetsujin
The Game Thread Dude
Kingsfans.com Gameday Thread
Game 28
Sacramento Kings versus Miami Heat
Game 28
Sacramento Kings versus Miami Heat
Well that was ugly. I don’t know if I’d rather watch four quarters of absolute crap or three quarters of good basketball followed by an infuriating meltdown but after most of the games this year, I’m thinking I’d rather go with the first than the later.
Behind another strong performance by Demarcus Cousins, the Kings started off pretty well (at least, as well as a game between two teams in the lower end of the Western conference could be), their star bigman pummeling every single Pelican post player who dared try to get in his way.
Serving as Boogie’s customary Robin of the night was Marcus Thornton of all people, still apparently benefitting from the magic beans he ingested in Florida. I’m really not sure where this MT has been all year but if he played like this (or really like anything more than dreadful) from the get-go, the team would have probably not been forced to go with Ben McLemore before he was ready.
On the other side, the New Orleans Pelicans benefitted from Tyreke Evans and his best game of the year, in which he consistently found the open man and drove to the hoop at will, which is probably more an indictment of our defense rather than a marked improvement of the skills Tyreke was already exhibiting in Sacramento. Much will be made about his impressive performance against his old team in Arco but let’s remember one thing: he did it against quite possibly the worst perimeter defense in the universe. Really, at this point I’d have more faith in someone trying to drink water from a pasta strainer than our ability to competently defend a pick and roll situation.
For a team that is coached by a defensive coach, we are pretty ***ty at defense. It’s been killing us and will continue to kill us until someone finally decides to give a rat’s ass on our own side of the court.
Observations
- Rudy Gay struggled for most of the night, having perhaps the worst game of his short tenure with the Kings. With his shot failing to fall early in the game, the swingman started to press and force the issue later on, blindly driving to the hoop rather than simply passing out of situations as he normally would. Considering the strength of his competition and his size advantage against them, there was pretty much no need for him to do such a thing.
- I don’t know about you but I really enjoy Coach Malone’s post-game press conferences or, as they should more properly be called, a chronicle of one man’s slow mental breakdown.
- The Anthony Davis versus Demarcus Cousins matchup wasn’t as great as I expected as (a) Monty Williams spent most of the game devising ways to stick anyone other than Davis on Demarcus and (b) Demarcus spent most of the game thoroughly abusing the Pelicans or on the bench.
- In other Anthony Davis news, while he’s obviously well on his way to being a phenomenal basketball player, he’s also skinny as a rail, something that doesn’t necessarily bode well for his health.
- Shaq does as Shaq does.
Award Time
Tony Delk Memorial Award- Al-Farouq Aminu
Despite being the obvious weakest link in a strong rotation and starting lineup, Aminu played pretty well to start action, he and Eric Gordon both feeling the confidence boosting effects of the Sacramento Kings perimeter defense.
Jimmer Fredette Award for Greatness in Jimmering- Jimmer Fredette
Putting together perhaps the best stretch of NBA basketball since we drafted him, Jimmer really should have been in the game towards the tail end of the fourth quarter as he was clearly outplaying IT for the night. Playign under control and taking what the defense gave to him, Jimmer found his teammates and also made a few plays featuring his midrange repertoire. Not exactly John Stockton levels of greatness but not really awful either. Jimmer certainly was the least of our problems in this game.
Tonight’s Game
One week later, we’re stuck playing the stupid Miami Heat again. This time, at the very least, we’re home.
At this point I don’t really have much faith that our team is going to win another game the rest of the season thanks to our dreadful defensive game. Considering how disturbingly awful our perimeter defense is, it might be a miracle if Dwayne Wade only drops 30 on us tonight.
The last go-round, Ray Allen accidentally inhaled some bathsalts and dunked the basketball for the first time since the Carter administration. If he dunks again tonight, it probably just means we’re cursed.
All things considered, I consider myself blessed to have not been born Chris Anderson. The walking Etch-a-Sketch must have had some serious head trauma to have ever considered all of that a good idea.
With Lebron playing at power forward for the Heat, we should hopefully see a bit more of Derrick Williams tonight since I’m pretty confident in saying that JT would have absolutely no hope of at least staying in front of the man.
Sure our defense sucks but at least we didn’t have to wear stupid sleeved jerseys on Christmas.
Matchups
Demarcus versus Chris Bosh- Demarcus should probably own this matchup but we all saw what happened last time.
Mike Malone versus a sideline heart attack- The man is one missed defensive rotation away from a massive coronary.
Lebron versus our craptacular defense- Sigh.
The NBA versus Christmas- the latest volley in the league’s war on Christmas: the sleeved jersey abominations. WHO THE HELL ACTUALLY LIKES THOSE THINGS? The next person who speaks in favor of them will be the first.
Prediction/ Closing Words
I think we’re going to lose, the only question is by how much. At the end of the day, I think we’ll make it closer for the home crowd. 122-115 Heat over the Kings.
Mike Malone throws a chair into the rafters. Shaq bleeds ice cream.
Thought-Provoking Question of the Day
If you could prevent C-Webb from blowing out his knee at the cost of forfeiting the Mavs series that year, would you do it?
